MWDC: Blue Beetle: Launch
by Finmonster
Summary: Jaime Reyes was an ordinary student until a fateful visit to Kord Industries resulted in him becoming the hero the Blue Beetle. Can Jaime become the hero the people of El Paso need him to be? And can he defeat those who seek the Beetle's powers for themselves? MWDC Part 2 Book 6


**MWDC: Part 2 Book 6:**

**Blue Beetle: Launch**

**Chapter 1: Field Trip**

_A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles._

-Christopher Reeve

_September 8__th__, 2012, El Paso, Texas_

The sun slowly came up over the Texan city of El Paso, the heat rising off the desert surrounding the city like an oven. As the sun rose, its rays began to peek through the windows of a house in one of the city's poorer neighborhoods. As it did, it fell across the eyes of the young man sleeping in his bed.

The young man was of Hispanic descent, with a coal black mop of hair that sat loosely on his head, along with scruffy facial hair. He was dressed in only a pair of blue boxers, showing off his lean yet athletic frame. He groaned as the light struck his closed, brown eyes, causing him to roll over in an effort to stay asleep. As he did, unbeknownst to him, the bedroom door was opened before small feet padded across the room, accompanied by a soft giggle.

A little girl, no older than ten, was sneaking up to the young man's bed. She also appeared to be of Hispanic descent, with black hair done up in twin pigtails, and brown eyes. She smiled a wide, gap-toothed grin, her green sleeping gown shuffling around her as she moved towards his bed, creeping right up next to his head. She smiled as she leaned up right next to his ear.

"_Buenos días_, Jaime!" she shouted into his ear, causing the boy to spring upwards and shout in surprise. Turning, he glared at the girl as she laughed before scurrying out of the room as he threw a pillow at her.

"_Maldita sea_, Milagro!" he shouted, "I told you to stay out of my room!"

Growling in irritation, Jaime sat up and swung his legs out of bed, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. Standing up, he made his way over to his dresser and quickly got dressed, putting on a blue button up shirt, which he left open over his grey t-shirt and brown khakis. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt up before putting on a black watch and white sneakers.

He picked up his backpack and made his way out of his room and down the hall of his one story house, entering into the kitchen. Milagro was sitting at a simple dinner table, eating breakfast, and giggling at Jaime as he walked in. Sitting with her were two other people. One was a man, looking to be middle aged. He was of Hispanic descent, with black hair, brown eyes and a short beard. He was dressed in a slightly dirty white t-shirt and blue jeans. Across from him sat a woman roughly the same age. She was of Hispanic descent, with brown eyes and black hair tied pack in a ponytail. She was dressed in light blue medical scrubs as well as a pair of white sneakers. A pair of glasses sat on her nose.

"_Buenos_ _días_, Jaime," Milagro said in a sing song voice as she giggled. Jaime only grunted in reply.

"How are you today, Jaime?" the man asked, looking up from his coffee.

"Fine, _papa_," Jaime grunted as he walked over to the kitchen counter and poured himself a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice.

"Are you excited for the field trip today?" the woman asked with a smile.

"I haven't been excited for field trips since I was in elementary school, _mamá_" Jaime replied with a sigh.

"Where are you going again?" his father asked.

"Kord Industries," Jaime replied through a mouthful of cereal.

"Isn't that the research company on the outskirts of town?" his mother asked him.

"Yeah," Jaime replied, disinterestedly.

"I hear they're doing some very interesting stuff over there, Jaime," his father said, "You should pay attention when you're there."

"Alright, _papa_," Jaime sighed as he rolled his eyes, eating his bowl of cereal sluggishly.

"I'm serious," his father repeated with an equally serious expression, "You need to study hard to make sure you can have a good job and life."

"I know, I know," Jaime sighed, not wanting to sit through this lecture again.

"So how are you getting to school?" Jaime's mother interjected, knowing what her son was thinking.

"Paco is driving me," Jaime replied simply, trying to avoid the other lecture that he knew was coming.

"Paco?" his father asked an edge to his voice, "That gangbanger? What's he doing giving you a ride to school? Didn't he drop out?"

"Yeah, but he's still my friend _papa_," Jaime answered.

"I don't like him Jaime," his father said, "He's a bad influence and a fool."

"Paco is not a fool," Jaime argued.

As Jaime said that, the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance came from outside, sounding as if it was played through a car horn.

"Hey, _amigo_!" a voice called from outside, "Hurry up! I got better things to do then take your _culo _to that prison you call a school!"

Jaime sighed and his shoulders and head slumped as his father's eyes narrowed.

"I got to go," Jaime said simply as he stood up and cleaned up after himself. His father sighed as he watched him go.

"Have a good day, _cariño_" he mother said as she stood up and kissed him on the cheek.

"You too, _mamá_," he replied as he quickly scooped up his backpack, which was sitting in a hallway leading to the door. He quickly opened it and rushed out, tripping as he ran smack into the person standing on the other side.

Jaime and the other person cried out in surprise as they went tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs. The other person was a little boy, the same age as Jaime's sister. He had bright blonde mop of hair and blue eyes. He wore a yellow shirt with a blue star one the front along with brown shorts and white sneakers.

"_Maldita sea_, Booster!" Jaime yelled as he untangled himself from the boy, "Watch where you're going!"

"Where I'm going?" the boy, Booster, asked, "You ran into me!"

"Whoa, _amigo_!" a new voice called out, "You just knocked the little _hombre_ flat!"

Looking up, Jaime saw a boy his own age sitting in a dark purple low rider. He was significantly larger than Jaime, standing over six feet tall and had a build that was a mixture of fat and muscle. He had brown eyes and short brown hair, over which he wore a red bandanna. He wore a red flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up and the front open, revealing he was wearing a white wife beater under it. He also wore a pair of grey cargo pants, along with black boots, a brown belt and a chain hanging from his pants. He had a short goatee and a tattoo on his left arm depicting a snake wrapped around a sword.

"_Callar_, Paco," Jaime growled at his friend as he dusted himself off and helped pick Booster up off the ground.

"You okay, Booster?" a new voice asked. Looking over, Jaime saw a group of four children standing nearby. One, a boy, was only a few years younger than Jaime, had short blond hair and blue eyes. He wore a black and white t-shirt along with brown shorts and black sneakers. Another was a girl a year or two younger than the boy, had long, straight red hair and blue eyes. She wore a red, short sleeve shirt that was open in the front, revealing a white cami she was wearing underneath. Along with this she wore a red skirt and white, knee high socks along with light red shoes. The third child was another boy, looking to be Booster and Milagro's age. He had short, spikey brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a blue t-shirt along with a pair of jean shorts and a pair of black sneakers. The final child was a girl a few years younger than the young boy. She had blond hair which she wore in braided pigtails and blue eyes. She wore a yellow sundress along with red sneakers. Each of them carried a backpack on their backs.

"Is Booster okay, Julie?" the little girl asked the other girl.

"He's fine, Katie," the girl, Julie, replied with a smirk, "His head is too hard for Jaime to hurt him like that."

"Dude, he knocked you out!" the younger boy laughed.

"Shut up, Jack," Booster spat, glaring at the other boy.

"Yeah Jack, be nice," the other boy said, smirking at Jack.

"Whatever, Alex," Jack said, rolling his eyes.

"Are you okay, Michael?" Jaime's mother said, standing in the doorway along with Milagro, looking at the young boy with a worried expression.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Reyes," Booster said, giving her an annoyed look, "And for the last time, it's Booster!"

"Come on, _amigo_" Paco shouted, honking his horn again, "You don't want to be late, do you?"

"Right, hold on," Jaime said as he threw his backpack into the back of the car and hopped into the passenger seat, before waving to his family as Paco drove off.

_Later_

A yellow school bus pulled into a large complex located in the desert past the edge of the city. Numerous buildings, ranging from factories to laboratories, were set up with in the complex. The bus pulled up to a central building, stopping to let its occupants off. Jaime exited the bus with his classmates, accompanied by a girl his own age.

The girl had short, red hair and bright green eyes, her pale skin decorated with freckles. She wore a black tank top and white capris along with blue shoes. She had a slim figure and pretty features.

"Are you excited, Jaime?" the girl asked.

"Super excited, Brenda," Jaime replied sarcastically.

"Hey, cheer up, grumpy pants," Brenda chastised, elbowing him playfully in the side, "I'm sure you'll find something interesting here."

"Yeah," he said, turning to look at her as he walked backward, "I'm sure all this science stuff will be riveting."

As he spoke, he accidentally walked into someone, nearly knocking them over. The person was a boy his own age. He had dark, tanned skin with blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore a blue polo and a pair of white shorts along with brown shoes. He had a strong, wiry build. He whirled around in surprise before glaring angrily at Jaime.

"Watch where you're going, Reyes!" the boy growled, shoving Jaime.

"Hey, relax Joey," Jaime said glaring back at him angrily.

"Yeah, it was just an accident," Brenda spoke up.

"Accident or not, you better watch yourself, Reyes," growled, glaring at Jaime.

"You really need to chill out," Brenda spat back.

"Well, a sexy _chica_ like you needs to stop hanging out with a loser like Reyes," he replied, cupping her chin. Brenda quickly yanked it away, giving him a disgusted look.

"Don't touch me," she growled.

"And feisty too," he smirked, looking like he was going to continue, until the teacher called for the class' attention.

"Another time then," Joey said, turning and walking away. Jaime and Brenda glared at him as he left.

"Yeah, Bren," Jaime said with a sigh, "Today's going to be a really great day."

_Meanwhile,_

Near the top of the building was a large office. The office had a tall ceiling with off white colored walls and a blue carpet spread across the floor. The wall opposite the door was dominated by a large window looking out onto the compound and the desert beyond. In front of the window sat a wooden desk.

At the desk sat a man with his feet up on the top. He looked to be in his thirties, with short, messy brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a light blue t-shirt and grey shorts along with white sneakers. He was looking at a file he was holding in his hand, looking at it through a pair of glasses on his nose.

As he sat, the doors to the room opened and another man walked in. He was an elderly man, with white hair and brown eyes. He had a hunched posture though he had an apparently muscular physique. He wore a dark blue shirt along with brown slacks and brown leather shoes. He walked with the aid of a wooden cane.

"Hey Ted," the old man grunted as he entered the room.

"Oh, what's up, Dan?" Ted asked, looking away from his papers.

"That tour of kids from the local high school is here," Dan explained.

Ted stared at him for a few moments, a blank expression on his face. Dan sighed in response.

"The tour from the local high school? The one you are supposed to lead?" Dan tried to explain.

"Did I?" Ted asked.

"Yes, it was your idea to invite them here in the first place," Dan elaborated.

"Was it?" Ted asked again, "Damn, sorry about that. Really got into this paper I was reading."

"You still investigating that damn scarab?" Dan asked.

"Never stopped since you brought it to me three years ago," Ted explained as he stood up from his desk and made his way out of the room, Dan following him.

"And you're still nowhere close to cracking it," Dan commented.

"I'll do it, Dan," Ted said, punching him in the arm playfully, "I'll figure it out."

"I'm sure you will, kid," Dan replied punching Ted in the arm as well, causing Ted to wince in pain, "I'm just not sure you'll do it before I die of old age."

Ted could only chuckle as he and the old man left the office, the doors closing behind them.

_Meanwhile,_

On a ridge in the desert looking over the Kord Industries compound stood a group of people. One was a tall, athletic man. He wore a black vest over a brown t-shirt, along with desert camouflaged pants and black combat boots. His features were obscured by a mask he wore. The mask appears to be made out of burlap, with stitched in eyes and a stitched mouth designed like a rictus grin. Knifes hung from numerous belts on his person or tucked into the pockets of his vest or pants.

Next to him stood a hunched over creature. It appeared to be a werewolf-like creature, standing with a hunched posture, its hair a ruddy red. It had a masculine physique, standing over seven feet tall. He had large hands, his long fingers ending in wicked claws. His feet were distinctly wolf-like and a short tail grew from his tailbone.

On his other side stood a third man. This man was dressed in an all black bodysuit with a depiction of a skeleton on it, each of the bones matching the point of his anatomy on the bodysuit. He had a wiry build, like that of a dancer and was lanky compared to his compatriots.

The fourth person was a large man, only shorter than the wolf-like creature. He had a powerful build, his muscles clear under the tight black shirt he was wearing. He also wore black cargo pants. He wore black combat boots along with black gloves that ended in razor sharp claws. He wore a black mask over his head with red goggles and small points at the top, looking like cat ears.

The four men stood silently on the ridge for a few moments, observing the compound.

"What's the plan, Brutale?" the man in the bodysuit asked, his voice oddly high.

"We infiltrate the compound, find the vault and get the Scarab, just as La Darma ordered, Bone-Crusher" the man in the burlap mask explained.

"What about the children?" the man with claws asked.

"They'd make good snacks," the wolf-man growled hungrily.

"No feeding, Coyote," Brutale said sternly, "But if they get in the way, Jaguar, I expect them to be taken care of."

"What about La Darma's niece?" Jaguar asked.

"Accident happens," Brutale replied with a shrug, "Now let's get moving."

_Meanwhile_

A truck was thundering down the desert road towards Kord Industries. It was a large sixteen wheeler, colored yellow. The words "Aim High Honey," was written on the side of the trailer. Two men, dressed in typical trucker clothing, drove inside the cab. What was inside the trailer was a different story entirely.

The inside of the trailer resembled a military troop transport. A number of men, dressed in yellow suits with helmets that made them resembled beekeeper suits along with yellow, metal backpacks. They were armed with advanced looking rifles which they were cleaning and checking.

Along with these men there were four other people. One man stood out from the rest due to the horrible burns that covered most of his face, leaving him bald except for a tuft of brown hair near the front of his head. He has one dark brown eye that looks around hatefully, the other one destroyed and covered in scar tissue. His mouth his curled down in a scowl, partially because the horrible burn on his face had caused part of his face to droop. He wore a red asbestos suit and was of average build and height. He was fiddling with a pair of mechanical gloves, the fingers of which ended in spouts of some sort.

Sitting across from this man was a woman, sitting with her legs crossed, filing her red-painted nails. She had short black hair and green eyes with a willowy build and a tall stature. She had beautiful features, highlighted by the makeup she was wearing. She wore a red dress with short sleeves and a skirt that came down to mid- thigh. Other than that, she wore no other article of clothing, not even shoes, leaving her delicate looking feet exposed.

The third person was a man apparently in his late twenties of average weight and height. He had short, black hair and chocolate brown eyes. He wore a dirty white wife beater and jeans along with work boots. He was working on a massive piece of machinery, a rig of metal and wiring. It appeared to be a frame in a vaguely humanoid shape, crunched up in a ball, though looking like it would tower roughly ten feet or so when standing fully erect. It was armed to the teeth, the biggest guns being the minigun it had on each arm.

Finally, there was the fourth person, though he was not truly a person at all. A silverback gorilla sat on one of the benches, the rest of the soldiers giving him a wide birth. He wore a red beret on his head and a bandolier around his chest, displaying ammunition for the minigun that sat next to him.

"Are you going to be sour for zhe whole misson, Monsieur Mallah?" the woman asked the gorilla with a French accent, a smirk on her face.

"This is a serious mission, Madam Rouge," Mallah shot back with a slight African accent, "We have no time for frivolity."

He turns to the man working on the large rig as Rouge chuckles at him.

"Is the Silverback suit prepared, Jenkins?" Mallah asked.

"It's up and running, Mallah," Jenkins said with a smirk, "Those rent-a-cops at Kord Industries won't know what hit them."

"Good," Mallah said as he turned to the burned man, "And you, Barnes?"

The burnt man merely grunted as he put the gauntlet on his hand, flexing his fingers to make sure it was working. Balling his hand into a fist, flames began to spout from the valves on his fingertips.

Mallah nodded in understanding as a beeping sound came from his ear. Reaching up, he placed one of his massive fingers to his ear, touching the communication device placed in there.

"Mallah," he said.

"Greetings, Mallah," a cultured French accent said through the communicator, though it seemed to have a robotic tone to it as well.

"Brain," Mallah greeted, "I was not expecting to hear from you during this mission, sir."

"Zhis is a very important mission for us, my loyal soldier," the Brain replied, "I felt it was best to rally zhe troops myself, as if were."

"Very well, sir," Mallah said with a nod, before standing up, his massive size catching everyone's attention.

"Listen up, you dogs!" he growled, barring his fangs, "Your leader, the Brain, has a few words for you."

"_Salute_, my soldiers," the voice of the Brain said as the intercom system installed in the trailer, "Today, we bring our organization one step closer to ultimate conquest. And it could not be done wiz out you."

The men nodded appreciatively, smiles on their face.

"Today, you will seize the item we have sought for so long and then afterwards, with its power, the world will follow. Now onwards my soldiers! Onwards to victory!"

"For AIM!" the soldiers cried triumphantly.

Mallah smiled at the display from the troops, before he put his finger back up to his ear, reactivating his communicator.

"We are prepared," Mallah said, "Are you?"

"I am ready," a female voice said through the communicator.

"Good, you are the most important piece of all," Mallah instructed, "Do not fail us Aphrodite IX"

"I will not," the woman on the other end said. She stood in the greeting area of Kord Industries. She had bright green hair along with vivid green eyes and green makeup. She wore a white blouse along with a tight black skirt and black high-heels.

As she discretely lowered her hand from her communicate, she turned to face the students who were entering the building, a smile on her face.

"Hello, and welcome to Kord Industries!" she greeted them happily.

A/N: I have to say, this is one of the fics I'm looking forward to doing the most. I've always been a fan of the newest version of the Blue Beetle, so now that I finally get the chance to write a fic about him, I'm super excited. Hope you guys like what I have in store for him! Please Review! Later, True Believers!


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